VIJAYAWADA: For 28-year-old Sukanya (name changed), a resident of Vijayawada, it was no less than living in hell with her alcoholic husband. Her spouse, who worked at the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, used to come home drunk.
The frequent fallout between the duo used to lead to domestic violence. Unable to bear the harassment, Sukanya reached out to the One Stop Centre (OSC) to seek assistance. The staff stepped in and counselled the couple on how to lead a harmonious life.
Twenty-five-year-old software engineer Priya (name changed) shared a similar horror when she proposed an inter-caste marriage to her parents. In a bid to dissuade her, she was confined to a room for days by her family.
Her friend Raguvansh travelled to Vijayawada and sought assistance from the police, but in vain.
Subsequently, he approached the Disha OSC. The staff took prompt action and visited Priya’s residence. They counselled her parents, clearing the path for the inter-caste marriage. Both Priya and her husband are happily married and settled in Hyderabad.
All thanks to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, which initiated several measures for the safety of women. The Centre implemented One Stop Centre and Women Helpline schemes under the Nirbhaya Fund.
Of the Rs 3.23 crore allocated by the Centre in 2015, the State government has effectively utilised Rs 2.04 crore, serving the needs of women in distress. This translates to over 35 per cent of the Nirbhaya Fund remaining unutilised by the State.
However, authorities are of the opinion that the schemes have evoked a good response in the State. As many as 37,582 women have been provided with the required assistance under the OSC scheme.
The ‘Women Helpline’ (WHL) initiative has received an overwhelming response in the State as 12,24,852 calls have been registered from women in need of assistance.
These facts were revealed by Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, recently in a response to a question by TDP MP K Rammohan Naidu in Parliament.
Of the 801 OSCs, as many as 733 are operational across the nation. In Andhra Pradesh, 26 districts have received approval for 26 OSCs, with 13 centres currently operational, while efforts are underway to make the rest of the centres operational. Centre has allocated Rs 17.92 crore to the State government, of which, Rs 10.42 crore has been utilised to support women in need.
Speaking to TNIE, D Srilakshmi, assistant director of the Women and Child Development department, emphasised the crucial role of the Disha One-Stop Centers that were initiated in 2015.
Though these centres have facilitated aid for 37,582 people till March, Srilakshmi noted that there has been a gap between the number of calls received and the services of OSCs utilised. Of the 12 lakh calls received, only 10,000 victims have sought the centres’ services, indicating a need to raise awareness.
Srilakshmi assured the victims of a comprehensive support system, including temporary shelter for five days, with further arrangements for prolonged assistance.